Developing sustainable packaging alternatives for plastic carry bags: Utilizing reinforced lotus fiber with casein bio-coating for enhanced performance

Lotus, an underutilised aquatic plant with strong fibres, shows potential as a raw material for biodegradable packaging. Against this backdrop, this study aimed to develop a biodegradable packaging material by harnessing Lotus fibre in conjunction with banana stems, pineapple leaves, and rice straw as reinforcing agents. Additionally, the influence of a tapioca starch binder was examined for comparative purposes. To further enhance the material's properties, a casein bio coating was applied. Analytical tests for mechanical properties, water barrier properties, functional groups, structure and microstructure, thermal properties and biodegradability were performed. The samples containing banana fibres (LB) showed the highest tensile strength (12.81 MPa) and bursting strength (7.09 KPa). The casein bio-coating enhanced all the mechanical properties while significantly improving the water resistance. The bio-coated samples showed contact angles within the range of 72.3–92.3°, with the samples containing pineapple leaf fibres showing the maximum. Infrared spectra analysis confirmed robust interactions among the reinforcing agents while scanning micrographs confirmed the influence of the bio-coating. The thermogravimetric analysis revealed the coating to be slightly improving the thermal stability. The notable crystallinity index of LB samples substantiated their remarkable mechanical properties. A great deal of biodegradation was seen in 20 days of soil burial, which was expedited by the coating. The material was also able to be formed into carry bags without difficulty, thereby indicating the suitability of this material as a viable eco-friendly solution to plastic carry bags.